chgbees



C. KIWUL. TENSION DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEP'I-ZI. I916- MM; C/uzrleyjflwul (him wa t.

I I I I I I l Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

A TTORNEIS onset-Es or new same n; Y1

'rnirsion Device? Application nice-Se tember 21, 19 16; seriai Nb: 121,348."

Toall'whomit mag concern: e v Be it known th t lyCrn-xnnnsKrwnn, a

subject of the Emperor of Russia, and res1-, dent of New Yorkcity,,in the county of New York and State of NewYorlnhave in- I vented certain new and useful Improve5 ments in Tension Devices, of which the fol lowing is a'specification. 1 My invention relates in general: to it fieXl ble driving connection for ,transmittingzi power froin-va driving to a driven' member under conditions where the drivi'ngaforce acting on the driving member may vary; orwhere the lOflClyOll the drivenmeifnbe may vary, and specificallyrelates to a web feeding or take'up mechanism S'LlCllitE the film sprocket drive, the take-up reelodrivin'g-F mechanism of a kinetoscope or film" rewinder.

One of: the objects of-theinvention is to provide a simple form of-drivingmechanism" for driving a reel with turningmoment which remains constant under all conditions of services a More specificallystated the invention has for an object the provision? of a: simple, re-

liable and efiicient fOlm 'Ofi mechanism for winding-a web 'orifihnonto atake-up reel under such conditions thatthe film is given the required tension during? the winding operationbut released from anyundue ten sion. M

It has been usual in devices of this char-y acter to compensate for the: increasein turn ing moments caused by: the increase-1n diameter of the coiledfihn in the case ofa*w1nd- 7 ing reel, either by theengag'ement with the' periphery of the rolled ,coil or by depending upon'an abnormal pull uponthe film tself for the purpose of intercepting. thedriving; connectioir- Devicesdepending: on either of these n methods are objectionableg for 'anZy mechanism which bears "onthe film is very apt to 1 scratch the; same in addition to 111?, troducing a tension not necessary to i the'* winding operation,- v; or where the dev ce de l pends upon the pull on stheifilm', any sueh pull, even thou gh momentary; I introduces the very condition which is desired to be: avoided. r I o Accordingly; :another? ObJectpf-the nven tion is to provide compensatingadevlce pe culiarly sensitive to-- slight variationsv of'zloadx" on the take-'up reel r or other "min engaging? or drawing member to "inaugurateits 'opera tion. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide asnnple form of device for permitting of-a ready presettlng of: the initialgm'axr mum draft tension on the film and for' re settingsaid inaximum tension;

ae am. s ;1919.

Various other objectsandl advantages of in the following particular descriptionof .one' form of mechanism'embodying my invention, and the invention also consistsin certain new and novel features of construc-' tionand combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Figure is a sectienalview taken axially through'a preferred embodiment ofmy inventlon and shown connected to a conventionaliforinoffeed sprocket; p

Fig; 21s a plan View of the device shown in Fi z: 1*

Fig; 8 isla transverse sectionalview taken" YOIL the line 33=- of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig; 4k isa diagrammaticview in side'ele 'vation of take-up reel showing an application ofmy invention as part ofthe driving" mechanismthere'for; and '7 Figs. Sand 6 are detailed sectimial'views taken" through the float-ing'disks respectively on the lines 5-5and 6-6 of Fig:

In the device here illustrated" as exempli fying. inyi invention, there is shown a shaft 10 journaled for rotary movement in sup ports ll, which may constitute part ofamotion picture machine The shaft is shown in operative driving 2 engagement with a feedsprocket "12 1n outline and arranged for movingsa fi'lm Thisshaft' willbe identified as adrivingslwftin the' resened scription, butitwill be 'obyious as thedis closure "progresses thatt-he direction of powen'transmis'sion may be reversed and this shaft m'ay be a eleven element. LA driven member 15in the form of'a" sprocket wheel is loosely mounted uponthe shaft 10.

A flexible drivinglconnection is provided between the drive'n member and seeming shaft; which connection includes" a friction clutch 16"forme"d of adisk 17 fixed to the shaft and ar floating disk 18 "leose oii' the shaft with a compressible fabricdisklg in ventional' -forms of dev es of [this character.

A u sh'aped spacing 'carriage 20 is loosely 1" mounted upon the shaft 10 between the clutch and driven member and free for both rotary and longitudinal movement thereon. The carriage is fixed to the driven sprocket 15 by means of the pin 21. This spacing carriage includes arms 22 curving outwardly of the shaft diametrically from the hub portion 23 ing in roller-shafts 24 extending parallel to the adjacent bearing face 25 of the floating disk 18. Rollers 26 are mounted upon the shafts 2d and bear normally on the disk face 25 to maintain the driven member 15 normally at a fixed distance from the clutch.

A flexible drawing member 27 connects the floating disk with the spacing carriage and is shown in the form of a coiled spring guided on the shaft, with one end thereof suitably affixed to the carriage and the other end fixed to the disk 18 eccentrically thereof by means of a set pin This pin may be set in fixed position, but to illustrate a feature of ad ustment, the pin 1s shown engaging in one of a plurality of pin sockets 29 in the bearing face 25. The hub portion of the carriage and the hub portion of the floating disk may be provided with integral bearing sleeves 3O projecting toward each other and designed to provide long bearings on the shaft and to maintain the spring in spaced relation to the shaft. The pin sock ets 29 are spaced apart in an arc concentric with the axis of rotation of the shaft, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, so that any initial releasing tension may be placed on the spring 27. The carriage is main tained in bearing engagement on the face 25 by means of a coiled spring 31, one end of which bears against a washer 32 in turn bearing on the sprocket l5, and the other end of which spring bears against a washer 33 backed by an adjustable stop fixed to the shaft. This stop is shown to be in the form of a wing nut 34 threaded on a sleeve 35 fixed to the shaft by means of the concealed screw 36. The nut is arranged for movement longitudinally of the shaft to and from the driven sprocket 15, so as to cause the spring 31 to bear on the driven member and spacing carriage with a variable tension. A

set screw 37 is passed through the side of the wing nut and is designed to bear on the shaft to lock the wing nut in set position.

The bearing face 25 is provided with a pair of diametrically disposed inclined recesses 38 positioned in the path of the revolving rollers 26, and reversely positioned as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 so that the rollers will simultaneously enter the incline and move toward the deeper end thereof when the driven member is subjected to an abnormal torque.

In the disclosure shown in Fig. 4, the film 13 is shown to be passed about the feed sprocket 12 and fed therefrom onto a takeof the carriage and terminatup reel 40. In this case the sprocket 15 connected to actuate the reel by means of an endless belt or chain, 41, passed about the sprocket 43 fixed to the shaft 44 carrying the reel 40.

In operation, and referring particularly to the form of the invention disclosed in Fig. 1, the wing nut is adjusted until the desirtw. pressure on the carriage is provided to give the requisite frictional engagement between the relatively fixed and movable elements of the friction clutch. Assuming that the set pin 28 is in the proper socket to give the requisite draft tension on the film and that the driving shaft 10 is connected with some suitable prime mover, the rotation of this shaft will act through the clutch and tend to rotate the carriage in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. At the same time the spring 27 will be placed under it gradually increasing tension. Force is thus transmitted through the tensioned spring and acts on the carriage to cause the same to rotate in the direction of rotation of the driving member. As the disks are in frictional engagement, the torque on the fixed disk is transferred to the floating disk and thus motion is transmitted to the driven member. Should a greater resistance be imposed on the driven member, the effect will be to place the spring under a greater tension and increase its torque. Increase in torque, however, will cause the rollers to approach the inclined recesses and eventually move into these recesses. Should the spring 31 be short and stiff, a small change in the relative angular position of the carriage and clutch after the entry of the rollers 26 into the recesses 38 as compared to that position in which the spring 27 is under no stress, is sufficient to reduce the pressure and conse quently the frictional engagement between the clutch elements is reduced almost to zero. Obviously the movement of the rollers into the recesses releases the bearing engagement of the carriage on thefioating disk and permits a slippage between the elements of the friction clutch. Any slippage, however, releases the driving engagement, and the spring 27 will tend to turn the floating disk back, so as to decrease the angle of torsion of the spring 27, releasing the abnormal tension on the spring until the frictional en gagement of the elements of the clutch is just suflicient to counterbalance the force with which the spring tends to turn the floating disk back. Any increase of torque on the driven member from this point will merely cause the rollers to move deeper into the inclines with a gradual release of the frictional elements of the clutch. Any iii-- crease in torque over the counterbalancing torque will n'ierely cause the floating disk to approach a condition in which it rotates freely without transmitting force to the driven membera As the torque transmitted ,tothe: driven sprocket is proportionate to theangleof movement'of the carriage, relatively, to, the ifloatinggdisk and' the change in, this angle necessary to ,releasethe pressure ,on the clutch elements ,once the rollers arein the recesses is ,verysmall, the tension of the spring remains practicallyconstant,

aslong as, theisourceof power issuflicient focause the rollers .to enter. the nclined. depressions whatever I may be the absolute or ,relative; speed of the drivingaand driven spee a members.

a l It is obvious ithatby: meansof a device, of

vthis character, when applied to the take-up reel of amotion picture machine, any force byineans ofwhich the taker-up reel will be turned remainsconstant irrespective of its w By varying the position of the set pin '29, the angle through which the carriage must turnlbefore the rollers move into the depressions can be carried from zero to about 17 5 and thus the value of the force f can be regulated \within definite, limits: or in t case the voffset recess construction is, used the vajriation may be, increased up to about 855.

\Hav ng dESCIlbGCl my invention, I;cla1m:

12 111 a. device ofithe classdescribed, a

driving member, a driven membercompris- 111g adriving element and a driven element,

mechanism including a coiled spring-connecting said elements, for permitting-the driving member to pull on the driven element with any tension below avpreset maximum tension and means including a spacing carriage a fioatingdisk, anti-friction:bearrings between the carriage and disk, said means controlled by said maximnmtension acting through said spring for releasing the driving connection ,b etween said members.

,2; In a device -ofthe class described, a

driving member, a driven member :GOlDpIlS- said tension for relieving said connecting means.

3. In a device of the class described, a driven member subject to a resistant torque, a power member operatively connected to said driven member to overcome said resistant torque and to impose an actuating torque on said driven member, and mechanism including a pair of elements connected to said member and mounted for relative the, 1 angle of relative? rotation of; said eleinents for mainta n ng saidractuating torque constant.

l, In a-gdevice of theclasswdesoribed, a

driving=-- member, a driven member, a fric- (113101184 1 ClTlVlIlggQOIlDGOlZlOD;bGlDWBQI]. said memabers, said a connect on. ncluding a; spring between said membcrsaand spring controlled means for vary ng the tension! of tlie'spring placed umder; tensionby; relativet movement thereby to; vary thetorque; at {which slippage tional driving connection.

will occur between the elementsof thefric- '5; -In a! device; of: the class described, a

driving 4 15 11361, a driven-,inember mounted for relative erotarysemovelnent, as: frictional it driving connection connec-iaed to yone 10f said members means for varying thefriction between said ;=rneinbers, av f resilient jseonn'e'cti on a between. the otheiwofsaid membersfand said a fr ctional -tll'lvillgfiOIIDBCblOIlRftIId 3.116%1'18'001'1- trolled by-the relative; angular-movement of 1 sa dmembers for releas ng "the-xfrictio'nal driving: connection.

6.. In axdev ceiof the class:- ,deseribed, a

pair of frictional disks, a driven.=meinber, a spr ng; const tut ng a rlriv ngtconnection be tween the drivenncl iber and; one ;of; said disks, mechanism connected totheotheridisk to'actuatethesame and a carriage j-provided with two spaced apart bearing wheels in rotary; engagement witha-one oft-the disks and r governed by: the tension; ,on said spring for-control-ling the frictional eengagen'ient 1 between the pair of disks.

, 7;. Ina; device ofwthegclass described, a

pair of frictionmdisks, aydrivenwmember, a

spring constituting a driving connection between the driven member :andcone', of.- said disks, mecl'ianisin-- connected to the; other disk to actuate; vthe same, means 2 governed by the tension on; said spring afor, controlling :the frictional engagementabetween thewpair of disks, resilient means for varying tension at which said spring will act to affect the frictional engagement of the pair of disks and an adjusting nut bearing on said resilient means and acting as an additional means to control the frictional engagement between the pairs of disks.

8. In a device of the class described, a driven member, a driving member, arid a flexible connection therebetween, said connection including a friction clutch with one element thereof connected'with one of the members, a sprin connecting the other element of the friction clutch with the other member, and means carried by the driving member, acting in line with the spring and coacting with the spring to maintain the clutch elements in operative driving position.

9. In a device of the class described, a driven member, a driving member, and a flexible connection therebetween, said connection including a friction clutch with one element thereof connected with one of the members, a spring connecting the other ele ment of the friction clutch with the other member, means coacting with the spring to maintain the clutch elements in operative driving position, and means including a carriage normally bearing on said other clutch element, freely rotatable relative and controlled by the tension on the spring for releasing the elements from their operative driving osition.

10. In a device of the class described, a driving member, a driven member, and a flexible connection therebetween, said connection including a friction clutch, one elementof said friction clutch provided with a recess, a carriage bearing on said element of the clutch normally to maintain the clutch elements in operative driving posilion, a resilient connection between said carriage and the clutch element engaged thereby, and means coacting with said recess and controlled by the tension imposed on, the resilient connection for releasing the bearing engagement of the carriage on the clutch element, thereby permitting relative slip between the clutch elements.

11. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a friction clutch mounted on the shaft with one element of the clutch in driven engagement therewith, a driven member loose on the shaft, a spring guided on the shaft and connecting said driven member with the other clutch element to be rotated thereby, means controlled by the relative angular movement of said clutch and member for releasing tension on said spring, and means for shifting the position of the driven member relative to the clutch.

12. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a friction clutch mounted on the shaft with one element of the clutch in driven engagement therewith, a driven member loose on the shaft, a spring guided on the shaft and connecting said drivenmember with the other clutch element to rotate the same, means for shifting the position of the driven member relative to the clutch, and means for locking the last named means in shifted position.

13. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a friction clutch mounted on the shaft with one element thereof fixed to the shaft, a driven member loose on the shaft, the friction element of the clutch facing the driven member and provided with an inclined recess, a spacing member fixed to the driven member and provided with means normally bearing on said facing element revolu-ble thereon and designed to move into said recess to release the bearing engagement of the spacing member on the clutch, and a flexible driving connection between said driven member and said facing element.

11. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a friction clutch mounted 011 the shaft with one element thereof fixed to the shaft, a driven member loose on the shaft, the friction element of the clutch facing the driven member and provided with an inclined recess, a spacing member fixed to the driven member and provided with means normally bearing on said facing element revoluble thereon and designed to move into said recess to release the bearing engagement of the spacing member on the clutch, a flexible driving connection between said driven member and said facing element, and means for regulating the normal bearing engagement of the spacing member on said facing clutch element.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 29th day of August, A. D. 1916.

CHARLES KIIVUL. 

